The holidays are a busy time for garbage pickup.
The EPA says about 25 percent of all trash and recyclables for the year is thrown out during this time.
In Outagamie, Winnebago, and Brown counties, about eight percent of what comes into their joint recycling center is actually garbage.
Outagamie County Recycling and Solid Waste Coordinator Alex Nett says plastic bags are the biggest problem, because they jam their equipment. A number of stores collect plastic bags for recycling.
Other holiday items that aren’t recyclable include wrapping paper, tissue paper, ribbons, and bows.
The EPA says about 75 percent of waste in the U.S. is recyclable, but only about 30 percent is actually recycled.
